JAW

About JAW

Every summer, we get reminded about the vitality of this ever-changing, crazy fun, wild world of theater. JAW (short for Just Add Water) takes over the Armory as the universe of artists required to make a play — writers, directors, dramaturgs, actors, stage managers — gathers to pull apart and then put back together the newest work from some of the country's most exciting writers. At first the work is done in separate rooms, play by play; thoughtfully assembled groups with intense focus and brave brains. Then, as the two weeks reaches its final days, the building opens wide with the Big Weekend, inviting hundreds of audience members to become part of the creation by joining us for staged readings of these spanking new scripts - and a slew of performances from other Portland theaters and arts ensembles - all free and open to the public. Join us!

JAW 2016 Full Company

Since
launching in 1999, JAW's principal focus continues to be the playwright and the
creative process. Each year, three to four playwrights, whose work
is chosen from nearly 200 submissions, collaborate with directors, dramaturgs,
actors, and other theater professionals from across the U.S. to read, revise,
and sometimes completely re-write their scripts, discovering through the
process what does or does not work in the transition from page to stage.
Joining them are Promising Playwrights, high
school students selected from PCS’s
Visions & Voices program, who write and develop their own short
plays, working alongside the professionals. All of the playwrights’ works are
then presented in staged readings for the public.

The 2017 festival begins with
artists in residence starting July 17. The Big Weekend of staged
readings and other events open to the public will occur July 28-30.

Script Submissions

Closed. Thanks for your interest in JAW. The submission period for 2017 has ended, and we are no longer accepting plays for consideration. Please revisit this page in the coming months for information about the festival line-up, other events, and future submissions.

Press Play

A series of dynamic performance pieces hand-selected for JAW that
animate the building and engage audience members before every reading. Dancers,
puppeteers, and musicians pop up throughout the building adding to the vibrant
festival spirit of JAW.

Community Artist Labs

Artists from across the nation conduct educational labs for our
local community on a diversity of performance-related topics. Admission is
FREE, but in order to maintain a high level of quality, attendance for each lab
is limited and determined by random lottery.

Promising Playwrights

The 19th annual JAW: A Playwrights Festival will kick off with staged readings of new scripts from Portland-area high school playwrights. Come ready to celebrate and socialize. These Promising Playwrights are selected from our Visions & Voices Playwriting Program, a residency program offered to Portland-area schools.

Past Seasons of JAW

Accessibility Info

PCS is committed to making our performances and facilities accessible to all of our patrons. Wheelchair seating, sound amplifying devices and large print programs are available for JAW. For more information, visit our accessibility page.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

JAW is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment
for the Arts and a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust: Oregonians sustaining,
developing and participating in our arts, heritage and humanities. Additional
support is provided by the Regional Arts & Culture Council/Work for Art and
the Oregon Arts Commission.

Season Sponsors

Accessibility

About PCS

Portland Center Stage at The Armory inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. It is the largest theater company in Portland and among the top 20 regional theaters in the country. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the company became independent in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since 2000. Around 150,000 visitors attend The Armory annually to enjoy a mix of classical, contemporary and world premiere productions, along with the annual JAW: A Playwrights Festival, and a variety of high quality education and community programs. Home to two theaters, The Armory was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places — and the first performing arts venue in the country — to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.